Five times
by Cindy Ryan
Summary: Oneshots set mid season one. Two times members of Steve's team saved his life, two times that he saved theirs and once that was just pure luck.
1. Chapter 1

Officer Kono Kalakaua felt the heat first as she regained consciousness. Then the pain sliced through her skull along with her ribs. Kono bit back a groan as she forced her eyes open. She had heard flames and knew she had to access her situation. Kono's memories were still fuzzy not quite returning yet. The bright afternoon sun was at an odd angle and Kono realized she was upside down. Or more accurately McGarrett's truck she'd been riding in was upside down. At the thought of her boss memories slammed back; the crash and who was driving; Steve!

"Steve!"Kono called as she glanced over from the passenger seat.

The former Seal was suspended from his seatbelt face partially concealed by the airbag. Smoke caused Kono to cough and she looked for the source of the fire. The other car that had hit them was engulfed and was wedged under the truck's bed. Sirens could be heard in the distance but Kono knew she couldn't wait for backup. Getting out her door was out of the question since it was closest to the fire. To get out the driver's side she'd have to do some fancy maneuvering and slide under her boss. Looking at the windshield Kono saw it was already shattered from the crash. Shooting it wasn't advisable because of the fire but she thought she'd be able to kick ignored the pain in her head and turned herself around so she was facing the seat backs. She positioned herself and raised her feet and kicked. The windshield held on the first two kicks and Kono bit back a curse. On the third kick she felt it give and one more strong kick she heard it shatter and felt the trade winds rush in. Kono turned and quickly pushed the remnants of the windshield out of the way. It was worrying her that Steve hadn't regaining consciousness yet. She knew he could have a neck injury or worse but she didn't have a choice on moving him. The fire was intense now heat and flames getting closer. The sirens were getting closer too but they weren't close enough.

Freeing Steve from the seatbelt Kono gently turned her boss towards their escape route. It was tough to maneuver in the upside down truck but Kono managed to get her hands under Steve's shoulders and began to drag them to freedom.

Danny Williams had been en route to question a witness when Chin had called with news of the car accident. Even though the team had barely been a team for six months the former New Jersey resident still felt his heart drop to his stomach as Chin gave the details. As he ended the call Danny knew he was close enough to the accident scene to lend a hand. He put his siren on and turned the sedan around. Ten minutes later the sight that greeted Danny made his blood run cold. His partner's blue truck was upside down with a smaller car wedged under the bed. The smaller car was on fire and being attended to by HFD.

Four ambulances were still on scene. Danny parked his car and began going from ambulance to ambulance until he found the other half of his team. In the third to last one Danny hit pay dirt. Chin was standing at the back doors of the ambulance talking to the medics attending to his cousin Kono.

"They took Steve to General already."Chin informed without preamble.

Danny winced.

"How bad?"Williams asked quietly.

"He hadn't regained consciousness and they were concerned about internal bleeding since his breathing was shallow."Chin reported grimly and then nodded at the young woman in the ambulance. "Kono pulled him out."

"How's she doing?"Danny asked with concern.

"Concussion and a couple bruised ribs they're going to admit her for observation."Chin replied.

"What happened?"Danny asked as the medics motioned that they were closing the doors for departure.

"Kono's memories are still fuzzy."Chin continued with concern as they stepped away from the ambulance as it drove off. "According to witnesses the sedan ran a red light and t-boned McGarrett as they were crossing the intersection."

Danny whistled as he walked around Steve's smashed truck and the still burning sedan.

"They were lucky."Williams commented grimly. "What about the other driver?"

"Unfortunately not so lucky; they didn't have time to get out before the fire."Chin stated with a sad shake of his head."HPD has this covered for now we should get to the hospital."

"Yeah."Danny acknowledged tearing his gaze away from the burning wreck. "Right behind you."

Chin got on his motorcycle and drove away. Danny got in his car and as he put it in drive he took a last look at the mangled mess and marveled at not for the first time how quickly things could change. 

* * *

The next morning Danny wasn't surprised to hear from Chin that all of Steve's tests had come back normal. Kono's scans had also come back clear. He decided to stop by and visit the pair at lunch once he got caught up on the never ending pile of paper work that seemed to come hand in hand with police work.

As Danny walked around the unusually quiet office of the 5-0 he was grateful it was only temporary. Yesterday could've been so much worse. The team would be back to normal soon or whatever passed for normal. Danny knew that normal would be tinged for awhile with the knowledge of what could've been. 

* * *

Steve wheeled his wheel chair into a nearby room that was occupied by an injured colleague. It was just past nine in the morning and the day outside had dawned gray with a threat of rain. Steve could've walked to Kono under his own power but the nurse over seeing his recovery wasn't one to bend on rules or anything else. She wanted Steve to rest and that meant rest not walking fifteen feet down the hall. The nurse had finally compromised on the wheelchair.

Kono's room was empty of visitors she'd had a steady stream of family and friends the night before. Steve had regained consciousness at the ER. There Chin had told him of the fate of the other driver and of Kono's condition. Steve had also learned who had pulled him out of his wrecked overturned truck. He'd also heard how bad the wreck had been. Steve had bits and pieces of memory from the crash. The doctor said his memory might return in time. Even if it never did return the important thing was that both he and Kono were okay. That her quick thinking saved them both. Steve settled back in the wheel chair and pulled out his phone. He had a few apps that would keep him occupied until Kono woke. Steve didn't want to disturb her sleep; she'd earned it.

Kono awoke to a monster size headache and an aching body. She blinked at the harsh lights of the hospital room and the bright sunlight streaming in the window. Glancing over at the clock on the wall Kono saw it was after ten. Looking to her right Kono saw she had a visitor. Steve met her gaze and smiled putting down his phone.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"McGarrett asked quietly as he leaned forward.

"Killer headache but otherwise okay."Kono responded looking at her boss's wheelchair. "You?"

"All tests came back good; concussion was the worst of it thanks to you."Steve stated. "I owe you one, Kono."

"We're a team; you would've done the same."Kono said as she rested her head back on the pillow and shrugged.

"Yeah it's what partners do for each other."Steve agreed grimly. "Still...I owe you. Thanks."

"You're welcome."Kono replied with a smile as she met her boss's gaze.

"Anyway just wanted to check on you...glad you're okay."Steve continued as he rolled the wheelchair away from the bed. "Should get back to my room before I'm reprimanded."

"Strict nursing staff?"Kono asked with a grin.

"Just one so far."Steve said as he paused in the doorway. "I'll see you later."

Kono smiled before the pain of her headache returned and the smile vanished. She closed her eyes and sank into the bank of pillows. She was fortunate to have such a good team to work with. What was better was the friends they were becoming.

End


	2. Chapter 2

By now Danny Williams should know that even grabbing a simple meal with his partner would never be just a simple meal. They couldn't just get a burger and go back to the truck and on to the next stop in the current investigation. No not when you're partnered with Steve McGarrett.

It was a tuesday afternoon around one when Danny finally convinced Steve to take a break. The investigation was at a point where it was grunt work. Nothing with lives on the line; no suspects on the run just every day police work. So at a small cafe a few blocks from the beach Steve and Danny got into line. It was more of a lunch counter than a cafe. Step up order your food take it to a table and sit, no waiters, no hostess. Danny liked places like this it was normally where the best food was. He was hoping that was the case this time. However he never got a chance to find out.

An argument broke out between a couple ten people ahead of them in line. Danny rolled his eyes at the yelling of the boyfriend and girlfriend until a gun was pulled out by the boyfriend. The girlfriend screamed and backed up but not in time. The guy grabbed her; she freaked and Steve stepped into the fray. Danny followed holding up his badge. The other patrons scattered for the street and the cook and cashier ducked behind the counter.

"I know you slept with him!"The boyfriend shouted.

"I didn't!"The tearful girlfriend replied.

"Let's just calm down and figure this out okay?"Steve said calmly inching forward.

"None of your business, cop!"The young brown haired man yelled.

"It is when you pull a gun."Danny responded.

"Let her go and..."Steve began.

The kid took aim and fired. Danny saw Steve reach for the gun but he wasn't quick enough. Next thing Danny knew he was lying on his back behind a table halfway across the cafe. His right side was bleeding from where the bullet had grazed him. Head hurt like hell from where he'd slammed it into the wall. Sirens could be heard in the distance. Danny also heard more screams from the girlfriend and he tried to sit up and shove the table off him but the pain sent him back down. There were scuffling sounds and Danny thought he heard the click of handcuffs and then running feet; running in his direction.

"Danny!"Steve shouted.

"Here!"Danny replied as he tried to move the table.

Shoes skidded to a stop and the table was flung aside as Steve crouched next to him. His face was grim as he took in Danny's injuries.

"How bad?"McGarrett asked.

Danny glanced toward the front door as HPD and paramedics poured in. He struggled to sit up but Steve pushed him back.

"Easy."Steve advised.

"Just a graze."Danny responded through gritted teeth. "Got a goose egg on the back of my head though."

Steve stepped back as the paramedics moved in and transferred Danny to a gurney.

"You'll be alright."Steve commented as he walked with the medics to the door.

"Next time we order lunch in."Danny groused.

"Deal."Steve said with a smile. "Don't fight the doctors and play macho. Do what they say and get some rest, okay?"

"Yes, Mom."Danny muttered.

The medics loaded Danny into the ambulance and he groaned at the pain brought by the movement. Getting shot hadn't been his plan for the day but with how the situation was Danny was glad he'd gotten out of it with only a graze. If Steve hadn't tried to grab the gun it would've been a direct hit. Neither of them had suspected the kid had it in him to actually shoot. So in the grand scheme of things a graze wound was a win in Danny Williams's book.

end


	3. Chapter 3

It was barely six in the morning when Steve McGarrett met Chin Ho Kelly at the HPD impound lot. The car belonged to one of their suspects in a high profile murder case. Chin had tracked the car down just in time to save it from being crushed into scrap.

"I can see why it was next in line to be scrapped."Steve commented dryly.

"Somebody was trying to cover their tracks."Chin confirmed.

The small sedan had been torched and the windows were long gone. In it's previous life it'd been a 2007 Ford Focus dark red in color according to the registration specs Chin had sent him. Steve started at the front of the car and began a slow walk around. Chin opened the passenger door and pried open what was left of the glove compartment.

"Gonna need forensics to piece back together what's in here."Chin reported as he pulled out charred paper.

"Pop the trunk."Steve ordered as he reached the rear of the car.

Chin leaned over and hit the release. Steve braced himself for the smell half expecting a dead body. Thankfully the trunk was on latex gloves he'd had in his pocket Steve searched the compartment. Nothing but what was left of the spare tire. Frustrated he closed the lid and walked to the passenger side where Chin was still sifting through the glove compartment.

"Nothing back there."McGarrett stated as he pulled off the gloves. "We should get it towed back and have a tech team go over it."

"Not finding anything here either except for some fried gas receipts."Chin said as he put the items in an evidence bag and closed it. "Probably towing it back is the best..."

A loud creak of metal interrupted the conversation drawing Steve's attention upward. Space on the island was always limited so some of the impounded cars were stacked on top of each other. The stack closest to them had ten piled up and three feet next to it there was another stack of various cars that totaled twelve. It was that twelfth one that had made the sound. The four door black sedan was unstable and the morning's strong winds weren't helping. As Chin and Steve watched the car bobbled and then with another creak of metal toppled in their direction.

"We need to..."Chin began as he stood.

"No time!"Steve replied as he grabbed his colleague by the right arm pulling him away.

The sedan began a domino affect as it knocked into the closest stack of cars. With a deafening roar three cars began to tumble down.

"Go!"Steve ordered.

The two men ran towards the small building that housed the impound lot's office which was located to their right about thirty feet away. Chin and Steve reached the building and ducked behind the left wall. Just as they did one of the tumbling cars which had bounced off their suspect's car landed with a loud thud inches from the office's front door.

"I think forensics can still get something from it."Chin said as he pulled out his phone and walked away from the building.

Steve started to follow when movement caught his attention. One of the cars that had been caught in the original slide hadn't fallen all the way. It was teetering on top of a pickup on the first stack four cars up from their suspect's car. Just as Steve was about to shout a warning the car lost it's battle with gravity and it plummeted. Steve raced forward and grabbed Chin around the waist half tackling him back the way they'd come. They reached the corner of the building as the car hit the Focus. Both vehicles gas tanks ruptured at the impact and exploded sending debris in every direction. When metal and glass finally stopped falling Steve and Chin picked themselves off the ground and turned to look at the destruction.

"Thanks."Chin said quietly looking at the pile of cars. "I didn't see it."

Steve nodded in acknowledgment as he looked at the burning wreckage.

"Thought we'd finally caught a break in this case; guess not."Steve said in disgust. "I'll call HFD and we'll head back."

A few minutes later the fire department was putting out the fire and the impound crew was cleaning up the mess. Steve got in his truck and Chin got onto his motorcycle. They left the impound lot and merged into morning rush hour traffic.

end


	4. Chapter 4

Detective Danny Williams ducked unsuccessfully to avoid a mass of cobwebs hanging from the ceiling of the abandoned high rise building. It'd once been a thriving office building until a typhoon had hit three years ago. The storm damage had been so severe that the company had decided to move instead of rebuilding.

"Why hasn't this place been torn down if real estate is so valuable?"Danny asked his partner as they walked the twentieth floor.

"Legal red tape."Steve McGarrett replied from a few paces behind. "A claim of ownership's been stuck in court since the storm. Several phony companies were listed as owners of this piece of land. They're still trying to detangle the mess to determine proper ownership so the sale can go through. The company that had this building was leasing. They put in a bid but didn't want to deal with the headache of the court proceedings."

"Don't blame them."Danny said. "Sounds like a headache and a half."

The blond man shown his flashlight into every dark corner as they walked. Normally this kind of grunt work was left to the HPD but when a California Senator's six year old son goes missing while on a family vacation everybody searches. With a daughter of his own missing kid cases always struck a nerve with Danny. He really hoped this one had a happy ending. Not just because it was high profile but because no kid should be taken from their family. 

* * *

The only warning Steve had was the creak of wood. The carpet that had once covered the floor had long since been ripped up in preps of repair that never came. The subfloor beneath was sound in most spots. However the farther up one went in the building the structure had been damaged throughout the years by wind and decay from the elements. Steve took a hesitant step forward and was rewarded by a deafening crack. Danny whipped around eyes wide.

"What the hell?"Williams asked.

"We need to…."Steve began before the floor beneath opened up and he plummeted down.

Steve heard his partner shout his name as he fell. Twenty feet down Steve found a handhold on a jagged pipe. The pipe sliced his hand but Steve held on. His body swayed widely as the former seal struggled to hold on. He prayed that the pipe was strong enough to support his weight since he wasn't close enough to the wall to get purchase there with his feet.

"Steve!"Danny's voice drifted down anxious and worried.

"You wouldn't happen to have a rope on you would you?"Steve called back.

"Left my boyscout pack at home."Williams quipped."You okay?"

"Yeah."Steve replied through gritted teeth. "Find something to pull me up. This floor's not going to hold much longer."

"On it."Danny responded. 

* * *

Danny had seen his partner's precarious position as he'd searched anxiously with his flashlight. Now Danny was cautiously but hurriedly looking for anything that could be used to pull Steve to safety. As he looked he'd pulled out his phone to call HFD and Hpd for backup. Dispatch had promised HFD was six minutes out. Danny wasn't sure they had that long. Danny still wasn't sure how he hadn't tumbled in after Steve when the floor went. Pure dumb luck.

"Anything?"Steve asked.

"Not yet."Danny replied grimly. "HFD's on it's way; six minutes out."

The floor groaned ominously causing Danny to freeze momentarily before continuing his search. Down below debris rained around Steve.

"Danny you need to get out of here. "Steve advised.

"What kind of partner would I be if I did that?"Danny retorted.

Out of the corner of his eye Danny saw a flash of color. Looking closer he was relieved to see it was something that might help. A coil of orange extension cord left over from the failed rehab. Danny ran towards the coil of cord half buried against the right wall near the windows. He hefted it and saw it was undamanged and might just be long enough. Going back to the collapsed section of the floor Danny gingerly laid down on his stomach and began to feed the extension cord down to his partner. In the distance Danny could hear sirens he hoped it was their backup.

"Here, grab this!"Danny instructed.

He sat up enough to wrap the end of the cord around his waist and continued to lower the rest. Looking down he saw the other end was almost to his partner.

"See it, nice job."Steve said.

"Quicker you grab it the faster we can get out of here."Danny replied. 

* * *

Steve made a first attempt to pull the cord closer but his bloodied right hand slipped and the cord swung away. When it came back within range Steve let go with both hands and leapt he caught the cord with his good hand and hung on. He slowly began to inch himself up. As he inched himself along the cord began to move upward as Danny pulled Steve to safety. Several long minutes later Danny gripped the back of Steve's shirt collar and hauled him up onto the broken floor. Both were short of breath.

"Thanks."Steve stated quietly as he sat up.

"What partners are for; come on let's go."Danny replied as the two ran for the door.

Almost as soon as they reached the hallway the rest of the floor collapsed sending up a shower of debris. Danny and Steve ran to the stairway and headed down. Once on street level they saw the fire department pulling up followed by Chin. Danny steered his partner towards an ambulance that had just arrived. Chin met them there.

"You guys okay?"Chin asked worriedly as he looked at Steve's bloodied right hand.

"Just another day at the office."Danny replied with a grim smile. "Any news on the search?"

"Just came over the radio."Chin replied with a smile. "Senator Wilson's son was found by an HPD officer a few blocks from here. Suspects are being rounded up now."

"Good."Steve interjected. "Happy ending all around."

"Going to need to take you in for stiches. Cut's too deep for anything I can do here."The young brown haired male paramedic stated.

"Get that taken care of."Danny instructed as he stepped back and the paramedic began to close the doors. "I'll start on the paperwork."

"Danny?"Steve called just as the doors closed.

"Yeah?"Danny replied.

"Paperwork can wait."McGarrett said with a smile. "Go home, grab a beer. You earned it."

"Think I will."Danny commented with a grin as the doors closed.

end


	5. Chapter 5

Pain was the only thing in Steve McGarrett's world at that moment. It was the only thing registering. The former Seal didn't know where he was, what day it was or what time. The pain was so intense that it was forcing Steve to allow it to take over. He couldn't access anything. Not his injuries, if there were other people with him, who the bad guys were; nothing. For now all Steve could do was slip back into the painless void of unconsciousness and hope that when he awoke again things would be better.

* * *

Detective Danny Williams took the stairs of the high rise building three at a time. Luckily he was going down so he wasn't so much taking his life in his hands. Another fortunate thing was he and his partner had only been on the sixth floor of said high rise office building. They'd been there to interview a co-worker of a murder victim. The guy had bolted and grabbed a gun from a security guard. So Steve being Steve had gone in pursuit before Danny had been alerted to what was going on. By the time he was Steve was on the other end of the floor trying to talk the guy down. Danny's arrival had spooked the co-worker turned suspect and the guy shot Steve who fell through the window, before turning and running. He hadn't gotten far before tripping over an area rug allowing Danny to catch up and disarm and cuff the idiot. HPD finally got there having been alerted by others in the office and Danny shoved the shooter into their custody before bolting down the stairs. Praying all the way down that he wouldn't be seeing McGarrett's dead body sprawled on the sidewalk.

When Danny finally reached the ground floor he sprinted across the lobby and slammed the exit doors on his way out. A crowd had gathered around an all too still form about twenty feet away. Danny cursed and ran forward pulling out his badge and shoving it in anybody's face that blocked his path from his partner.

"Ambulance is on it's way."A male bystander reported.

"McGarrett!"Danny called as he knelt next to the former Seal and checked vitals. "Steve?"

A groan answered and Danny released a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. Danny took off his jacket and used it as a compress on the bullet wound on Steve's right shoulder. It was only then that the detective noticed the large patch of brightly colored fabric Steve was laying on. Danny looked up and grinned. Three stories above them was an awning of a restaurant. It served as both advertisement and shade for when the windows were open. Today it had saved his partner's life.

"Only you could fall six stories and hit the only awning around for five blocks."Danny said with a grim smile.

A siren cut the air and Danny could see the ambulance racing towards them.

"Medics are almost here, buddy."Danny said to his unconscious partner.

Hours later Danny sat in Steve's hospital room as his partner rested. The doctors had been amazed there hadn't been any damage to Steve's spine or neck. There was severe bruising and a couple broken ribs on Steve's left side and a concussion. As far as Danny was concerned it was in the win column. Half an hour later Steve was awake. After the doctors checked his partner over Danny stepped back into the room and retook his seat.

"What happened?"Steve asked.

"We were interviewing co-workers on the Irving case."Danny explained. "One guy spooked grabbed a security guards gun. You took off after him he shot you and you went out a six floor window."

"We get him?"Steve inquired quietly.

"Yeah and he confessed to the murder too. So all around a win-win."Danny said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Good."McGarrett commented as he closed his eyes.

"Just do me a favor, huh."Danny said as he stood.

"What?"Steve asked.

"No more swan dives out of high rises, okay?"Danny continued as he walked to the door.

"I'll try."Steve replied with a smile.

"You'll try."Danny said with a shake of his head. "Because you know there might not be an awning there next time and it could be eight stories instead of six."

"No swan dives."Steve promised.

"Glad you're okay, partner."Danny said solemnly as he left.

Walking to the elevator Danny sent off a silent prayer of thanks. It'd been pure luck that Steve had caught that awning on the way down. If he hadn't...Danny shook off the dark thoughts as he stepped into the elevator and headed for home. As much as Steve McGarrett constantly gave Danny a headache he was slowly very slowly getting used to the partnership. He was glad he'd still have that partnership. Not that he'd let Mcgarrett know that but between he, himself and the wall Danny was grateful Steve had survived and lived to tell the crazy tale once again.

End


End file.
